- Source: May 1938 lunar eclipse
A total lunar eclipse occurred at the Moon’s ascending node of orbit on Saturday, May 14, 1938, with an umbral magnitude of 1.0966. A lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon moves into the Earth's shadow, causing the Moon to be darkened. A total lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon's near side entirely passes into the Earth's umbral shadow. Unlike a solar eclipse, which can only be viewed from a relatively small area of the world, a lunar eclipse may be viewed from anywhere on the night side of Earth. A total lunar eclipse can last up to nearly two hours, while a total solar eclipse lasts only a few minutes at any given place, because the Moon's shadow is smaller. Occurring about 4.1 days before apogee (on May 18, 1938, at 9:40 UTC), the Moon's apparent diameter was smaller.
This lunar eclipse was the first of an almost tetrad, with the others being on November 7, 1938 (total); May 3, 1939 (total); and October 28, 1939 (partial).
This was the last total lunar eclipse of Lunar Saros 120.
Visibility
The eclipse was completely visible over western North America, Antarctica, and the eastern Pacific Ocean, seen rising over east Asia and Australia and setting over eastern North America, South America, and west Africa.
Eclipse details
Shown below is a table displaying details about this particular solar eclipse. It describes various parameters pertaining to this eclipse.
Eclipse season
This eclipse is part of an eclipse season, a period, roughly every six months, when eclipses occur. Only two (or occasionally three) eclipse seasons occur each year, and each season lasts about 35 days and repeats just short of six months (173 days) later; thus two full eclipse seasons always occur each year. Either two or three eclipses happen each eclipse season. In the sequence below, each eclipse is separated by a fortnight.
Related eclipses
= Eclipses in 1938
=A total lunar eclipse on May 14.
A total solar eclipse on May 29.
A total lunar eclipse on November 7.
A partial solar eclipse on November 21.
= Metonic
=Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of July 26, 1934
Followed by: Lunar eclipse of March 3, 1942
= Tzolkinex
=Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of April 2, 1931
Followed by: Lunar eclipse of June 25, 1945
= Half-Saros
=Preceded by: Solar eclipse of May 9, 1929
Followed by: Solar eclipse of May 20, 1947
= Tritos
=Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of June 15, 1927
Followed by: Lunar eclipse of April 13, 1949
= Lunar Saros 120
=Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of May 3, 1920
Followed by: Lunar eclipse of May 24, 1956
= Inex
=Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of June 4, 1909
Followed by: Lunar eclipse of April 24, 1967
= Triad
=Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of July 13, 1851
Followed by: Lunar eclipse of March 14, 2025
= Lunar eclipses of 1937–1940
== Half-Saros cycle
=A lunar eclipse will be preceded and followed by solar eclipses by 9 years and 5.5 days (a half saros). This lunar eclipse is related to two total solar eclipses of Solar Saros 127.
See also
List of lunar eclipses
List of 20th-century lunar eclipses
Notes
References
1938 May 14 chart Eclipse Predictions by Fred Espenak, NASA/GSFC
Total Eclipse of the Moon: 1938 May 14 Archived 2017-10-15 at the Wayback Machine HM Nautical Almanac Office
The Lunar Eclipse of 1938 may 14 and its Saros Series, with Plate VI Pogo, Alexander, Popular Astronomy, Vol. 46, p.385
External links
May 13/14, 1938 — Total Lunar Eclipse www.timeanddate.com